Stick Figure, one of America’s premier reggae acts, has been on a remarkable ascent. Their recent three-day run in Colorado was a testament to their growing influence, with two sold-out nights at Red Rocks, as well as a sold-out show at Fiddler’s Green, a venue with a capacity of eighteen thousand fans. Witnessing the band’s journey from small, intimate gigs to filling massive venues has been nothing short of extraordinary.
by Kelly Graham
Courtesy In The Barrel Photo/Keith Zacharski
RED ROCKS NIGHT 1
The first night kicked off with Little Stranger, a rapidly rising artist, and a personal favorite of mine. The standout feature of their set was the expansion from a duo to an eight-piece band, which included horns and backup singers, infusing the performance with new energy, and setting the tone for the week. They wrapped up their set with crowd favorite “Red Rover,” as Kevin and John climbed into the audience to dance and interact with fans, creating an unforgettable ending.
Tribal Seeds, fresh off the release of their new album Ancient Blood, were one of the highlights I was most excited about. Their performance, bolstered by the return of Steven Jacobo on lead vocals and featuring Hector Roots Lewis on several tracks, did not disappoint.
Stick Figure closed the night with a mind-blowing two-and-a-half-hour set. The stage production was their most impressive yet, transforming their performance into a visual spectacle. Highlights included a cover of Mary J. Blige hit, “Family Affair” with the Little Stranger boys, and an epic
“Smokin’ Love” jam session featuring Hector Roots Lewis, Kyle Wareham of Algorhythm, Trevor Young, Bobby Lee, and Jacob Hemphill of SOJA.
Stick Figure’s Epic Colorado Takeover
RED ROCKS NIGHT 2
The second night began with surprise openers KBong and Johnny Cosmic, who expressed sincere gratitude for playing their first ever Red Rocks set. Their infectious energy set the perfect tone, with Stick Figure’s Scott Woodruff and Cocoa joining in for a few songs, including “Middle of the Ocean.”
SOJA, always a live powerhouse, delivered stand out performances including Bobby Lee led “Beacon of Light,” as well as “Something to Believe In” featuring Scott Woodruff. As an eight-piece band, the sound quality at Red Rocks works incredibly well to enhance SOJA’s performance, allowing each instrument and vocal to resonate clearly.
In a moment that had the entire venue cheering, Scott Woodruff took the stage to introduce the night’s second surprise guest: Sublime. Paying homage to their profound influence on his career,
Woodruff declared, “I would not be standing here today if it wasn’t for Sublime.”
Now fronted by Bradley’s son, Jakob Nowell, the band transported us back to the authentic Sublime vibes we have been missing for so long. In this new role, Jakob Nowell delivers the best vocal performances of his career. The standout of their set was their first new single in nearly thirty years, “Feel Like That,” featuring Scott Woodruff.
Stick Figure closed the second night with another incredible two-and-a-half-hour set, literally setting the place on fire with visually stunning performances of “Fire on the Horizon,” “World on Fire,” and “Firestorm.” Woodruff’s humble reflection on their tenth show at Red Rocks added a heartfelt touch to the night.
Courtesy In The Barrel Photo/Keith Zacharski
FIDDLER’S GREEN AMPHITHEATER NIGHT 3
The Colorado takeover continued with a festival-like show at Fiddler’s Green, featuring Makua Rothman, The Hip Abduction, Tribal Seeds, SOJA, Ziggy Marley, and Sublime. The crowd, adorned in Sublime gear, erupted with energetic cheers during their highly anticipated hour-long set as direct support for the star-studded night. Stick Figure’s standout moment was another “Smokin’ Love” brodeo, this time with Art Rivell and Layton Meacham of Sensamotion, as well as the SOJA boys. New addition Molly, who adorably followed Woodruff around the stage, charmed the crowd.
Courtesy In The Barrel Photo/Keith Zacharski
If you were fortunate enough to attend these Colorado shows, you are likely experiencing Stick Figure withdrawal as I am. With two weeks left on their tour, there’s still time to catch them live for a soul-soothing reggae experience.